Joe Biden, the US president-elect, complained Monday that his national security team has encountered “obstruction” and “roadblocks” from political leadership at the Pentagon.
The criticism came after the defense department suddenly suspended briefings with the Biden transition team earlier this month and Donald Trump was still trying to undo his election defeat.
“Our team received exemplary cooperation from some agencies,” said Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, after a briefing by his foreign policy advisers. “We encountered obstacles to the political leadership of that department from others, notably the Ministry of Defense.”
Both the defense department and the Office of Management and Budget have set up “roadblocks,” he added. “Right now, we just don’t get all the information we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas. It is nothing short of irresponsibility in my opinion. “
The president-elect, who will take office on January 20, warned that his team needs “full visibility” in the budget process at the Pentagon “to avoid any moment of confusion or backlog that our opponents might try to exploit.”
The comments were the latest sign of Biden’s increased willingness to take off the gloves, condemning Trump’s reluctance to participate in a quick and orderly transition. The current president has still not invited his successor to the White House or confirmed his presence at the inauguration, as is traditional.
Trump fired his Secretary of Defense Mark Esper after the November 3 election, replacing him with Christopher Miller in an acting capacity.
Earlier this month, Biden’s team complained of an abrupt shutdown in collaboration with the Pentagon. The defense department claimed meetings had been postponed to January due to a “mutually agreed” hiatus, but the transition team insisted there is no such agreement.
The team also said they had encountered resistance to requests for information from some Pentagon officials. But a senior defense official told Reuters news agency that the Pentagon had conducted 163 interviews and 181 requests for information and would continue to provide information and meetings.
Trump has refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory, claims widespread voter fraud for which there is no evidence, and has suffered dozens of court defeats. His government did not approve collaboration with Biden until November 23.
Trump has vowed to take a final stand on Jan. 6, when Congress will meet to certify the results of the electoral college. Jenna Ellis, a member of his legal team, tweeted on Monday: “President Trump should never admit the election.”
Biden was briefed on Monday by his Secretary of State, Defense and Homeland Security nominees, as well as his upcoming National Security Adviser. He said his team found that agencies “critical to our security have suffered tremendous damage” during Trump’s tenure.
“Many of them have been eroded in personnel, capacity and morale. There are policy processes that have been weakened or sidelined by the decline of our alliances. It makes it more difficult for our government to protect the American people. “
Biden’s foreign policy team is described as a return to experience, expertise and the Barack Obama era, with Tony Blinken nominated for Secretary of State, Jake Sullivan for National Security Adviser and John Kerry in a new role as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Lloyd Austin, as Secretary of Defense, faces a war of affirmation for being a retired general, which may undermine the principle of civilian control over the military.